This year, the match card for “The Show of Shows” seems less obvious than it has been for many years, with injuries to Dean Ambrose, Jason Jordan and several others forcing the company to change their plans in recent weeks.
When you also consider that we still don’t know what the likes of Braun Strowman, Triple H, Seth Rollins and Kurt Angle will be doing at ‘Mania, it’s safe to assume we’ll get a few more surprises on Raw between now and April.
In this article, we take a look at seven possible shocks that could happen at Sunday’s Raw-exclusive Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
#7 Titus Worldwide win the Tag Team titles
Apollo and Titus O’Neil have defeated Sheamus and Cesaro in three of the four tag matches between the two teams on Raw over the last six weeks, with the most recent victory coming on this week’s episode.
Sadly for Titus Worldwide, the Raw Tag Team Championships were only on the line in one of those matches – the night after the Royal Rumble – and that’s the one time that The Bar were able to get the win.
With Titus’ group, including statistician Dana Brooke, getting more and more television time of late, they could pull off yet another upset (if we’re still counting it as an upset) and win the titles from Sheamus and Cesaro.
#6 Ronda Rousey wins fans over right away
Whether it was the intention or not, Ronda Rousey’s long-awaited WWE introduction at the Royal Rumble stole the spotlight from Rumble winner Asuka and it’s no surprise that some fans have booed her name when it’s been mentioned on Raw and SmackDown Live recently.
However, we don’t think it’ll take long for Ronda to win fans over. After all, she’s a lifelong WWE fan herself and she has committed to signing a full-time deal with the company, so it’s not like she’ll disappear after WrestleMania.
This suggestion arguably doesn’t count as a shock (we’ve selected it at #6 for that reason), but such is the cynicism that has met her arrival in WWE, we reckon some fans might be surprised by her ability to get the audience on her side during her contract signing at Elimination Chamber.
#5 Sasha Banks turns heel against Bayley
Sasha Banks and Bayley have been off-screen best buddies for what feels like forever, while they’ve also been on-screen best buddies ever since the latter joined her fellow NXT Horsewomen on the main roster in July 2016.
Since then, the WWE Universe has been waiting for Sasha to turn against her friend and renew the memorable rivalry they had during their time in NXT. But, of course, that’s yet to happen, despite many thinking the betrayal would take place way back around the time of WrestleMania 33.
Now, with WrestleMania 34 on the horizon and every woman competing for herself inside the Elimination Chamber, there’s every chance that Sasha could finally turn heel by eliminating Bayley and, in the process, making it clear that the “Legit Boss” we saw in NXT is well and truly back.
#4 Asuka calls out Charlotte Flair
WWE faces a dilemma with the women’s division ahead of WrestleMania 34. There are so many women who deserve a spot on the card but, realistically, only the two title matches (plus Ronda Rousey’s match) will be selected for the show.
Looking at the two rosters, Raw has more overall star power in its women’s division, with Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss almost certain to feature at “The Shows of Shows”, and with Asuka already guaranteed a title match at the event.
Providing Asuka maintains her winning streak and defeats Nia at Elimination Chamber, we think there’s a high possibility that she gets on the mic after the match and reveals (finally!) that she wants to face Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at ‘Mania.
#3 Seth Rollins eliminates Braun Strowman
For any of you who read our speculative article about who may eliminate Braun Strowman from the Elimination Chamber, let’s just say the predictions would have been very different had we written the article after this week’s Raw.
The incredible performance from Seth Rollins, who lasted 65 minutes in the gauntlet match, suggests he’ll last the distance and be among the final two in Sunday’s Chamber match, even if he doesn’t go all the way and win.
Rollins is bound to rack up a few eliminations, and we think he would benefit more than anybody else in the match from recording a rare pinfall victory over “The Monster Among Men”.
#2 Triple H makes an appearance
Triple H has missed just one WrestleMania in 21 years, so it’s safe to assume he’ll reappear on WWE programming soon, possibly as early as Elimination Chamber, to kick-start a rivalry for this year’s ‘Mania.
His opponent in New Orleans remains unclear, with initial reports suggesting he could face Kurt Angle or Braun Strowman and more recent reports claiming he might team with Stephanie McMahon to face Ronda Rousey and a male WWE Superstar.
Either way, “The Game” could make a shock appearance at the Raw-exclusive pay-per-view, either during the Ronda contract signing or, with Strowman a rumoured ‘Mania opponent, even during the men’s Chamber match.
#1 The Undertaker costs John Cena
The long-rumoured Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns WrestleMania match is expected to be confirmed at Elimination Chamber, but there’s also the possibility that another match years in the making – The Undertaker vs. John Cena – will finally be set up for “The Show of Shows”.
‘Taker hasn’t been seen since Raw 25, where he cut a cryptic promo and offered no indication on his in-ring future, while he didn’t appear at the 2018 Royal Rumble despite reports that he would be there to set up a long-awaited match with Cena.
With WrestleMania getting ever closer, we think there’s a very good chance that “The Deadman” appears, either in person or in spirit (how many times has that ‘GONG’ distracted someone?!), to cost Cena on Sunday.
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